First comes the gray skies, and as the clouds gather you hear the rain drops, quiet fluttering drops splaashing on the pavement. Then the frequency and volume pick up to a mild roar as the rain begins to pour down in sheets, until the final sting of the familiar "plink", "plink", "plink" announces the arrival of the first hailstones. Each hailstone likes to come with a crowd, bringing thousands of his friends with him. Within minutes, the sound ends, and an eerie calm replaces the rush of noise. In those few minutes, a flash hail storm has caused enough damage that your residential roof requires replacement.

A wetter than normal spring in the Midwest has meant lots of work for local roofers. Customers have leaks that are out of control, and that's when the work begins. Whether you need a repair or a replacement, you want to get on a list with a roofing company, but finding a reputable roofing company can be like trying to find a fully inflated football at Gilette Stadium. We put together 10 questions that we thought homeowners should ask a residential roofing contractor before they have a new roof installed on their home.

1. Can the roofing contractor Write A Bid or an estimate for my roof?

Get bids from several companies, but don't take the lowest bid. The lowest bid might be low because the comapny uses poor quality materials or does sub-standard work. It's possilbe that he just has low overhead and is able to do quality work, but you should ask how he is able to deliver the same product at a lower cost.

2. How long has the roofing contractor been in business?

A well established company is bound to be around long after your roof has been installed. If they offer a warranty, you need to feel secure that the company will be around to honor the warranty if a problem arises.

3. Is the roofing company licensed and insured?

In most states, it's illegal for a roofing contractor to operate without a license. You need to know if your state requires a license and ask the contractor for proof. Find out whether the company carries insurance, specifically liability and worker's compensation. Uninsured roofers leave you open to all kinds of risk, from damage to your property or personal injury to those working on your property. ALWAYS find out about licensing and insurance.

4. Can you provide me with references?

Any reputable roofing contractor will be more than happy to provide you with a list of previous customers. Just be aware, that the list is a list of satisfied customers. If you've heard or read a negative review, ask them about it. An honest company will probably be both, aware of the situation, and have a logical explanation that will make you feel confortable in choosing them.

5. What is your Better Business Bureau Rating?

This is where any unhappy customers would file a complaint. Remember that any company that deals with a large volume of customers across the spectrum of the population is going to get a few complaints, what's important is HOW they dealt with those unhappy customers' complaints.

6. Who is my contact person?

How are your roofer's communication skills? You want someone who can discuss your project with you and answer all of your questions. Poor communications can lead to misunderstandings, and may bring some unwelcome surprises when the bill comes.

7. do you offer a guarantee?

Although the materials manufacturer usually includes a warranty on its products, that warranty doesn not cover installation. If a problem arises with the installaion or materials, you need to have a written guarantee from the roofing contractor that he will back up his work, and remedy the problem.

8. are the roofing company Employees trained?

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, you've heard that before? A company is only as good as its employees. What kind of training or skill levels does the company demand of its employees? Does the company provide safety training?

9. Does the roofing company's crew clean up the job site?

You may think you're getting a bargain by choosing a less expensive roofer, but if there are old roofing materials to clean up, you don't want that to be your responsibility. It's just not worth it. Some contractors are very good at cleaning up, and will do so as they go, others may wait until the job is complete before they pick up anything. How do you want your property to look while the project is being completed? One stray nail in the yard could injure you or a family pet. Ask questions before the project starts.

10. Do you offer a Written contract?

ALWAYS GET A WRITTEN CONTRACT! We used to conduct business with the shake of a hand, but these days require that you have everything in writing. Make sure that your contract covers the scope of the project to be completed, the materials to be used and their specifications, the dates that the work will begin and the date when the work is expected to be finished. You should also have an itemized list that shows the cost of all of the materials used and the labor involved.

You may not choose Midwest Roofing Services for your residential roofing job, but we stand behind this list and would encourage you to find a residential roofing contractor that meets all of these criteria. We feel confident that we meet or exceed all of the items on this checklist. We would love to be able to offer you a bid on your residential roofing project. Our home base of operations is centered in the Wichita, Kansas area, but we have crews that respond to storms all over the midwest, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Arkansas. When a community has been hard hit, we like to come in bring our brand of expertise and knowledge, along with over 60 years of being a family owned business. We couldn't be in business that long without being a trustworthy, ethical company that prides ourself on our workers and their training.

PRIORITY HAIL DAMAGE SERVICE

Fill out the form and you will automatically be added to our listing for priority roofing service for hail damage, storm damage and tornados. Avoid the risk of more damage from subsequent storms, and move to the front of line, get your name on the list now.

Credentials: Midwest Roofing Services has partnered with the top manufacturers in the industry. Midwest Roofing has been awarded the prestigious certification of Master Select by the largest roofing manufacturer in North America, “GAF Materials Corp.”. This certification is reserved for the Top 2% of the roofing contractors nation wide. Midwest Roofing is also certified applicators for the following manufacturers. Versico Roofing Systems, Certainteed Commercial Roofing and Topps Products, Inc. This partnership allows us to provide the following types of roofing applications with extended manufacturers warrantees. Thermoplastic (PVC and TPO), Thermoplastic Fleece Back, Epdm, Modified Bitumen, Built up Roofing, Roof Coatings, Metal Roof Restorations.

Midwest Roofing Services is a Wichita, Kansas based residential and commercial roofing company, founded in 1955, with a service area that includes: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas